VISTA at sunset

This spectacular view of the VISTA telescope was taken from the roof of the building during the opening of the enclosure at sunset. The VLT is visible on the neighbouring mountain. VISTA is the largest survey telescope in the world and it is dedicated to mapping the sky at near-infrared wavelengths. Its primary mirror is 4.1 metres in diameter and is the most highly curved of its size. The extremely high curvature reduces the focal length, making the structure of the telescope extremely compact. VISTA can map large areas of the sky quickly and deeply.